Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday mounted a strong attack on the ruling Trinamool Congress during a rally in Paschim Bardhaman, accusing it of pushing West Bengal into an “identity crisis” marked by fear, crime and corruption.
The remarks come amid intensifying political exchanges in the state, with the BJP sharpening its pitch against the TMC ahead of key electoral battles, even as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee counters with allegations that the BJP is attempting to erode Bengal’s cultural identity and constitutional rights.
Addressing the gathering, Adityanath alleged that Bengal had, over the past 15 years, turned into a hub of “terror, mafia rule, extortion, and corruption,” and urged people to reject the TMC.
“I have come to appeal to you, those people, due to whom Bengal has been facing an identity crisis for the past 15 years, who have turned Bengal into a hub of terror, mafia rule, extortion, and corruption, that TMC is no longer needed. These people have created an atmosphere of fear among the common public, the youth, and daughters and sisters. Because of them, the mafia has emerged. This mafia tendency will be ended by the BJP. This is the BJP’s resolve,” he said.
Yogi draws comparison with Uttar Pradesh’s past
The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister drew parallels between present-day Bengal and the situation in his state nearly a decade ago, claiming that similar challenges had once prevailed there.
“The anarchy you see here, the atmosphere of fear, the riots, the reign of mafia, and the siphoning and corruption of funds meant for development, such a dire situation prevailed in Uttar Pradesh nine years ago as well,” he said.
Adityanath went on to describe conditions in Uttar Pradesh before the BJP came to power.
“Nine years ago, there were riots every second or third day. No festival or celebration could take place. Sisters and daughters were unsafe, hooliganism was at its peak, crime was rampant, the mafia held sway, and funds meant for public welfare and development were looted. The remedy for this is only one, and that is a double-engineered BJP government,” he added.
‘Article 370 scrapped, same law across India’: Yogi
The BJP leader also invoked the abrogation of Article 370, linking it to the party’s broader political vision.
“The realisation of the dream once envisioned by Syama Prasad Mukherjee has been accomplished today under the leadership of our PM Modi. Article 370 has been abolished in Kashmir. Indian law applies in Kashmir in the same way as it does in Bengal, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh. We no longer want the TMC, which has put Bengal through an identity crisis for the last 15 years and has turned it into a den of terror, mafia rule, and corruption. While PM Modi sends money for the public from Delhi, TMC goons embezzle it,” he said.
Mamata Banerjee counters BJP, flags ‘attack on identity’
Earlier, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of attempting to undermine Bengal’s identity and rights, while reiterating her government’s commitment to the people.
In a post on X, she said she had spent Poila Boishakh among citizens and reaffirmed her dedication to public service since assuming office in 2011.
“I spent the first day of the Bengali New Year, Poila Boishakh, in the most meaningful way possible, among the people, walking with them, sharing their smiles and their strength. Since taking office in 2011, my singular commitment has been to serve my mothers, brothers, and sisters of Bengal, to ensure that their aspirations are heard, respected, and fulfilled. That is the promise I have lived by every single day,” she said.
Banerjee also alleged that people from Bengal were facing “suffering and humiliation” in BJP-ruled states, and claimed there were attempts to impose uniformity by erasing the state’s cultural diversity.